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IPL 2021 Rajasthan Royals Preview: Can RR Aim Correctly Without Their Archer?

Rajasthan Royals 2021 Preview.

There used to be a time when frugal IPL auction buys and uncapped Indian players was the norm for RR. Now it is the complete opposite. They are overdependent on foreign players.

If Buttler has a great season, they make the top 4. Otherwise, same old story. Here is the preview.

Also Read: IPL 2021 Auctions Review, RR All-Time XI

IPL History

2008 (Champions), 2013 (3rd), 2015, 2018 – (4th)

How Did They Do Last Year?

8th. Except for Jofra Archer maiden overs, Ben Stokes opening century, Riyan Parag’s Bihu dance celebration, & a glimpse into Kartik Tyagi’s potential, not much to write home about.

Injury & COVID-19 News

Jofra Archer is bound to miss at least 4 matches due to a hand injury. Given that the T20I World Cup is England’s focus right now, it is unlikely that Archer will be risked much.

Complete Rajasthan Royals Squad

Batsman: Yashashvi Jaiswal, Riyan Parag, Manan Vohra, Anuj Rawat, Akash Singh

WK: Sanju Samson

All-Rounders: Shivam Dube, Mahipal Lomror, Rahul Tewatia

Spinners: KC Cariappa, Shreyas Gopal, Mayank Markande

Fast Medium: Kartik Tyagi, Jaydev Unadkat, Chetan Sakariya

Overseas: Jofra Archer, Jos Buttler, Liam Livingstone, David Miller, Chris Morris, Mustafizur Rahman, Ben Stokes, Andrew Tye

Uncapped (even in first class): Kuldip Yadav

Predicted RR XI

Rumors suggest that England captain Eoin Morgan has inside information from rival camp of Rajasthan Royals. Maybe a Buttler-Stokes opening partnership to better help England prepare for the upcoming World Cup?

I would still start out with Jaiswal as an opener. (But then I am no captain of the best limited overs side in the world).

  1. Jos Buttler2. Yashasvi Jaiswal/ Manan Vohra/Riyan Parag, 3. Ben Stokes, 4. Sanju Samson (C/WK), 5. Shivam Dube, 6. Rahul Tewatia, 7. Chris Morris8. Shreyas Gopal, 9. Kartik Tyagi, 10. Mayank Markande/Jaydev Unadkat, 11. Mustafizur Rahman/Andrew Tye

Will David Miller get another season on the bench? (Or one game before a 0 (0) run out benches him for the rest of the season).

Watch Out For

  • Chris Morris. Has been sold for plenty at the auction, but some signs he is getting back to his best. Since his breakthrough season with Delhi a few years ago, he has not made a huge mark on the IPL. Is this the year?
  • Sanju Samson went from India’s #4 in the Australia tour to out of the squad. With an extended 23 men squad available for the T20I world cup, can he impress the selectors once again?
  • Buttler-Stokes in the top order.

Where Can Things Go Wrong For the Royals?

Lack of pace. The Fizz, Tye, Unadkat, & even Morris are arguably the world’s best off cutter bowling combination in the world. Without Jofra Archer though, they might fail to defend scores in Mumbai, Kolkata, & Bangalore.

Only so many Tewatia specials can save the Royals.

Venues & Fixtures

Venues

Mumbai- 5, Delhi – 4, Kolkata – 3, Bangalore – 2

Fixtures

  • 12 April: RR vs PBKS (Mumbai)
  • 15 April: RR vs DC (Mumbai)
  • 19 April: CSK vs RR (Mumbai)
  • 22 April: RCB vs RR (Mumbai)
  • 24 April: RR vs KKR (Mumbai)
  • 29 April: MI vs RR (Delhi)
  • 2 May: RR vs SRH (Delhi)
  • 5 May: RR vs CSK (Delhi)
  • 8 May: RR vs MI (Delhi)
  • 11 May: DC vs RR (Kolkata)
  • 13 May: SRH vs RR (Kolkata)
  • 16 May: RR vs RCB (Kolkata)
  • 18 May: KKR vs RR (Bangalore)
  • 22 May: PBKS vs RR (Bangalore)
  • 25 May: Qualifier 1 (Ahmedabad)
  • 26 May: Eliminator (Ahmedabad)
  • 28 May: Qualifier 2 (Ahmedabad)
  • 30 May: Final (Ahmedabad)

Prediction

Prediction7th
Most Runs Jos Buttler
Most WicketsMustafizur Rahman
Emerging PlayerMr. Liam Livingstone, I presume?
Surprise PackageShivam Dube
X FactorJos Buttler
Broken Cricket DreamDavid Miller
Rajasthan Royals Preview Predictions

What do you think of the Rajasthan Royals Preview? Your First XI? Will they make the IPL 2021 qualifiers?

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Copyright (2021: 4/3/2021)– @Nitesh Mathur, aka Nit-X – bcd@brokokencricketdreams.com

Top 50 England Cricket Team Players: Does England Have More Reserve Depth Than India?

Today we discuss Top 50 England Cricket Team players.

England’s rotation policy is well documented. Anderson and Broad have been preserved for more than a decade, while the Woods, Stones, Archers, and Currans rotate. Their bowling depth is quite vast.

After years of mediocre cricket, England’s rise post 2015 has been nothing short of marvelous. 2016 WT20 final, 2017 Champions Trophy semi-finals, winning it all in the 2019 World Cup, and the team to beat at the upcoming 2021 T20 World Cup. Their limited overs bench strength is quite something. In Tests, they have now won a record 6 in a row overseas.

Last week, we analyzed India’s bench strength…of 75 players, which can field four complete international quality teams. England can definitely field Team Morgan Vs Team Buttler, but can this era of English cricket give India a fight in their reserves?

Today’s Twist

Build FOUR England National Cricket Teams: 2 Test teams, an ODI, and a T20I XI so that (1) each team can field a team (wicketkeeper & 5 bowling options), and (2) a player is not repeated in any of the lists.

The Catch

  • Would you pick Ben Stokes for the Test team, ODI, or the T20I? How about Jofra Archer? Is Buttler more dangerous ODI middle-order batsman or a T20I opener?
  • Can you make all 4 teams balanced? The goal is that each team is just as good and competitive on the international stage. The ODI & T20I teams should be good enough for the World Cups and the Test teams for the World Test Championship.

England Cricket Team Players

*uncapped player

Test Team 1

  1. 1. Rory Burns
  2. 2. Dom Sibley
  3. 3. Zak Crawley
  4. 4. Joe Root (C)
  5. 5. Ollie Pope
  6. 6. Ben Foakes (WK)
  7. 7. Jofra Archer
  8. 8. Stuart Broad
  9. 9. Dom Bess
  10. 10. Jack Leach
  11. 11. James Anderson

Test Team 2

  1. 1. Haseeb Hameed
  2. 2. Keaton Jennings
  3. 3. Joe Denly
  4. 4. Dan Lawrence
  5. 5. Moeen Ali (C)
  6. 6. James Bracey* (WK)
  7. 7. Sam Curran
  8. 8. Craig Overton
  9. 9. Jake Ball
  10. 10. Mason Crane
  11. 11. Olly Stone

England Cricket Limited Overs Teams

ODI XI

  • 1. Jason Roy
  • 2. Jonny Bairstow (WK)
  • 3. Eoin Morgan (C)
  • 4. Ben Stokes
  • 5. Jos Buttler (WK)
  • 6. Sam Billings
  • 7. Chris Woakes
  • 8. David Willey
  • 9. Adil Rashid
  • 10. Mark Wood
  • 11. Saqib Mahmood

T20I XI

  1. 1. Alex Hales
  2. 2. James Vince
  3. 3. Dawid Malan (C)
  4. 4. Tom Banton
  5. 5. Liam Livingstone
  6. 6. Ben Duckett (WK)
  7. 7. Lewis Gregory
  8. 8. Liam Dawson
  9. 9. Chris Jordan
  10. 10. Tom Curran
  11. 11. Reece Topley

*Notes:

  • I made sure Eoin Morgan and Alex Hales were in different teams (ouch).
  • David Willey narrowly missed out on that World Cup squad, but here, Archer plays for the Test team, while Willey makes the ODI XI. Best of both worlds.
  • Initially I had Sam Billings as a T20I finisher/captain, but had to fill a space in the ODIs (given Root was picked for the Test squad). Hence, Ben Duckett was added to the T20I XI.

Extended List of Prospects

These are just the 44 that are ready for the international level. Here is an extended list of players for the next decade. These players were either (1) selected for the 55-men ECB training squad when cricket returned from COVID, (2) have recently represented England Lions, or (3) were picked from the recent T10 League.

Fringe Players (recent standby players): 45. Jake Ball, Amar Virdi, 46. Matt Parkinson, 47. Ollie Robinson

Youngsters to Watch Out (26 or Below): 48. Jamie Overton, 49. Tom Helm, 50. Tom Moores (WK), 51. George Garton, 52. Tom Abell, 53. Alex Davies (WK), 54. Phil Salt, 55. Pat Brown, 56. Henry Brookes, 57. Tom Kohler-Cardmore, 58. Will Jacks, 59. Sam Hain, 60. Brydon Carse

Ex-International Players Out of Favor (but still dominating T20 or County Circuits): 61. Luke Wright, 62. Liam Plunkett, 63. Samit Patel, 64. Adam Lyth, 65. Ravi Bopara, 66. Gary Ballance, 67. Steven Finn

Others: 68. Ben Cox (WK), 69. Laurie Evans, 70. Richard Gleeson, 71. Sam Northeast, 72. Adam Hose, 73. Sam Wisniewski, 74. Daniel Bell-Drummond, 75. Joe Clarke*

*was named in Alex Hepburn rape trial and since been reprimanded. Doubt he will ever be selected for England

The Verdict

England’s ODI, T20I, and first string Test squad are stronger than India’s, but India’s second string Test squad AND depth of reserves is probably higher quality. I even had to pick Haseeb Hameed and Keaton Jennings for the second string Test opening (given that it has taken a decade for England to replace Strauss-Cook in their first string squad, it is no surprise I had trouble in this regard).

England has an abundance of pace bowlers, but the next generation of batsmen have not yet been groomed.

Now, a lot of India’s players (50-75) were the youngsters emerging from the recent U-19 World Cups and IPL 2020 (post-COVID). Since The Hundred was cancelled last year, the English public were robbed of watching exciting young talent. Who knows, after the 2021 edition of The Hundred, maybe England’s depth can overpower India.

What do you think of England cricket team players right now? What will your England XIs be? COMMENT BELOW!

If you like this, check out the rest of our World XIs with Twists Here – Best Fielding XI, Best Commentators XI, and much more!

Copyright (2021: 2/13/2021)– @Nitesh Mathur, aka Nit-X – bcd@brokokencricketdreams.com

Image Courtesy: Ben StokesBen Sutherland CC BY 2.0, via Flickr

Preview: Eng vs SA – Why SA Will Sweep 3-0

November 27th, the big day is finally here—England (Eng) vs South Africa (SA), India vs Australia, and New Zealand vs West Indies.

We will start by previewing the England vs South Africa 3-match T20I series. This series has been in the news for ominous reasons—Cricket South Africa’s administrative troubles, mixed BLM’s messages, and COVID positive cases. Now that the series is finally on, let us focus on the cricket.

My prediction for the series: South Africa 3, England 0. Read till the end to see why.

Let us know who you think will win in the comments section below!

Also Read: India vs Australia ODI Series Preview, Series Predictions – Twitter Edition

The Batting

Eng: Too Many Options!!

  • England’s limited overs batting has so much depth they are currently practicing with Team Morgan vs Team Buttler. Eyeing the T20 World Cup, experimentation will be the focus before settling down
  • How many openers can they fit in? Bairstow, Roy, Buttler, and now even Stokes (Banton did not even make the T20I squad)
  • Dawid Malan will hold key given his stellar recent form – 16 matches, average of 48.71, 146.66 strike rate, with the best of 103*

SA: Solid Line Up But Finishers Needed

  • De Kock and Faf are in good touch as seen in the IPL. With Miller, Van der Dussen, Bavuma, and Klassen, they have a good mix of experience and youth
  • SA will definitely be steady, but can they need their power hitters and finishers come to the party. (The old Killer Miller, please come back)
  • Consistency will be key with this line-up. If their batsmen fire in the first match, they will be dangerous to watch for the rest of the series.
Embed from Getty Images

The Bowling

Eng: Good composition but expensive death bowling

  • Jofra Archer, Adil Rashid, and Chris Jordan are almost a certainty, but who else? Mark Wood? Wickets vs Economy – that is the question.
  • All-rounders will be key. If Moeen Ali, Sam Curran, and Ben Stokes make the XI and are fit enough to bowl, the balance will be handy
  • The Currans make things happen but only one might make the XI

SA: Bowlers for the Win

  • If Kagiso Rabada and Anrich Nortje can repeat their heroics from the IPL, they will be a handful
  • Phelukwayo will be hold the key to South Africa’s success as the key all-rounder in the side
  • Shamsi’s destructive spin in the middle overs give SA the edge

The Broken Dream

Eng: Joe Root and Moeen Ali

  • Moeen Ali has committed to all formats in the final leg of his career but how many chances does he have left in him?
  • Joe Root is massively underrated in T20 cricket. His contributions in the 2016 T20 World Cup were monumental, but he has been selected only for the ODI side, not the T20 side.
  • Will Reece Topley make a comeback?

SA: Is Dale Steyn’s international career over?

  • After having a poor IPL, it seems that Dale Steyn’s international career has finally come to an end.
  • Will Janneman Malan get to showcase his talent?

Prediction

Previous Battle

Last time England toured South Africa in February 2020 (pre-COVID times), it was a close 2-1 contest in England’s favor. The margins of victory?

  • SA won by 1 run, Eng won by 2 runs, and Eng won with 5 balls to spare.
  • The scores? 177 vs 176, 204 vs 202, 222 vs 226

If this series is going to be anywhere close, it is going to be a cracker of a contest!

Verdict: 0-3 South Africa

England definitely have better resources and will be a threat at the T20 World Cup next year, but 3-match series might not be enough time to find a settled line up. South Africa at home with a clearer batting line up and in-form bowling attack can spring a surprise.

I think South Africa will spice things up and win 3-0 due to the momentum if they start on a good note.

By the time the ODI series gets around, England will have an edge. Whatever ends up happening, this is a series that is going to have high-scoring close contests.

My Starting XI:

These are my starting XI for the first T20I (assuming everyone is available in terms of COVID and injuries).

Eng:

Jonny Bairstow, Jos Buttler (WK), Dawid Malan, Eoin Morgan*, Ben Stokes, Sam Billings, Sam Curran, Moeen Ali, Jofra Archer, Adil Rashid, Chris Jordan

SA:

Quinton de Kock * (WK), Temba Bavuma, Faf du Plessis, Rassie Van der Dussen, Heinrich Klassen, David Miller, Andile Phelukwayo, Kagiso Rabada, Anrich Nortje, Lungi Ngidi, Tabraiz Shamsi

*captain

The Squads

These are the other options in the squads.

Eng: Tom Curran, Jason Roy, Reece Topley, Mark Wood

SA: Junior Dala, Bjorn Fortuin, Beuran Hendricks, Reeza Hendricks, George Linde, Keshav Maharaj, Janneman Malan, Dwaine Pretorius, Lutho Simpala, JJ Smuts, Glenton Stuurman, Pite von Biljon, Kyle Verreynne

Image Courtesy: Newlands, Cape Town – PaddyBriggs at English Wikipedia Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

What if Brathwaite’s Dream Was NOT Diminished?

Today’s Scenario: Brathwaite’s Dream

Carlos Brathwaite Keeps West Indies’ Dream Alive.

Background:

At the 2019 Cricket World Cup (CWC) held in England, all 10 teams played against each other. In the 29th match at Manchester, New Zealand faced the mighty West Indies. Until that point of the tournament, West Indies had won 1, lost 3, and 1 no-result. New Zealand, on the other hand, were unbeaten with 4 wins and 1 no-result. With each team having 4 games in hand, the tournament was still wide open.

The Moment:

Chasing 291, West Indies collapsed to 164-7.

Comes in Carlos Brathwaite. Remember his name? Braithwaite and the tail launches a remarkable comeback. Twists and turns, wickets fall, spectators at the edge of their seats.

Brathwaite hits 3 consecutive sixes in the 48th over. Brathwaite scores his maiden ODI century. Brathwaite can do no wrong.

Brathwaite’s dream is alive. One wicket left, West Indies need 6 off 7 balls, Brathwaite on strike. Surely, it is their game now…

What Actually Happened:

The dynamic duo of Brathwaite and commentator, Ian Bishop, from that 2016 T20 World Cup final are back together. Jimmy Neesham runs it and bowls a short ball, Brathwaite heaves, and Trent Boult is near the boundary. (Yes, the same Trent Boult who would later do this in the Final). All you can see is the ball in the blue sky.

Ball comes down. Gravity happens. Boult catches it. West indies 286-10. New Zealand win with an over to spare.

Ian Bishop exclaims, “New Zealand win! The dream is diminished for Carlos Brathwaite here in Manchester!”

This is the turning point of the tournament. New Zealand go to the top the table. They qualify for the semi finals due to net run-rate despite losing 3 against Pakistan, England, and Australia. West Indies lose momentum and would eventually crash out at 9th place.

Carlos Brathwaite: The Dream Is Diminished

Just Imagine:

If Carlos Brathwaite had managed to hit the ball a yard further, or if Boult had lost his balance, what would have happened?

48.6 – Neesham to Brathwait, SIX!

Has he done it? Yes! Boult tips the ball over the boundary at long on for six. West Indies wins.

The Consequence:

West Indies wins, joins the middle-muddle in the Points Table, and sprints to the semi-finals. New Zealand lose momentum and fail to qualify for the semi-finals.

It is England vs West Indies in the finals. Stokes batting vs Brathwaite bowling final over—a reversal of fortunes from 2016. Stokes attempts to take his revenge. 15 needed from 6.

49.1 – Six, 49.2 – Six. He wants to finish with 3 sixes and complete the revenge.

49.3 – OUT! One shot too many. Still 3 needed from 3.

49.4 – 1, 49.5 – 0, 49.6 – Run OUT!

West Indies win by one run! West Indies have won by the barest of margins. By the barest of all margins.

Brathwaite’s dream is realized. Carlos Brathwaite is the Man of the Match. He is hailed as the best all-rounder of the century. Stokes is dropped from the England squad. Eoin Morgan plays out the rest of his career for Ireland.

Jofra Archer returns to the Barbados. He spearheads the West Indies attack.

West Indies returns to its glory days.

YouTube Link:

From Remember the Name to Diminished Dream

Inspired by Conversations with Vandit Trivedi and ESPNCricinfo’s Alternate Universe series.

Sources: ESPNCricinfo (scorecards), Youtube (videos)

Image Courtesy of David Molloy photography from Sydney, Australia / CC BY creative commons license, some rights reserved.